Ascended Fanon: John exists because of the famous "Fist of the Dead Star" PC mod for the first game and the YouTube video produced to show it off. In particular, the mod gives, among other things, memetically hilarious (not to mention gamebreaking of the best kind) Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs, which John's signature spiked-knuckles can replicate.

Banned in China: In certain countries, the logo has been changed with the "I" being a standing zombie instead of a hanging body. The promo for Riptide was shown on Australian TV and its portrayal of suicide had it pulled, and may have contributed to the game receiving an R rating (the first snuck in at MA.) The resin statue of a mutilated woman with the special edition was also cut for Australia.

It's also banned in Germany.

Doing It for the Art: Given the many intricacies of the game, it's pretty obvious that the game was a labor of love as much as anything else. Dead Island was in development as early as 2007, but had a hard time finding a publisher until Deep Silver picked it up.

Dueling Games: With Left 4 Dead, another 4-player co-op focused first-person zombie shooter. The main difference is that Left 4 Dead is more fast-paced and arcade-like, focusing on large hordes of fast but weak zombies that deal minor damage individually but can be dangerous in large numbers. Dead Island, in contrast, emphasizes melee combat and a Wide Open Sandbox, is slower paced and has RPG elements, and focuses on smaller groups of tougher, more dangerous zombies that can kill you in just a few hits.

Jossed: Escape Dead Island suggests several plot elements from the previous games lead nowhere, from the idea the survivors are resistant rather than immune to there being no cure.

Name's the Same: Moresby is a real town in Papua New Guinea where the game is ostensibly based. It's less developed than portrayed, not having running water, medical supplies, a school, and corruption is worse than the crime.

Vaporware: Until the "little girl trailer" came out, it was assumed to be this. The first trailer was released in 2007, promising a 2008 release date... and not a peep from the developers for four years after that.

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